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Difference between revisions of "European Goldfinch" - BirdForum Opus

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(Attempt to disguise/re-write much of the copied text. Subspecies. Gallery search amended)
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W. 21-25 cm<br/>
 
W. 21-25 cm<br/>
 
Weight of 14 to 19 grams<br/>
 
Weight of 14 to 19 grams<br/>
−
Sexes similar
+
 
−
*Red face,
+
*Red face
−
*Black and white head,
+
*Black and white head
−
*Warm brown upperparts,
+
*Warm brown upperparts
−
*White underparts with buff flanks and breast patches, and
+
*White underparts with buff flanks and breast patches
 
*Black and yellow wings.  
 
*Black and yellow wings.  
 
*Ivory bill
 
*Ivory bill
−
*Forked tail
+
*Forked tail<br />
−
====Juveniles====
+
Sexes similar but male has a larger red mask reaching just beyond the eye.<br />
 +
'''Juveniles'''
 
*Plain head
 
*Plain head
 
*Greyer back
 
*Greyer back
−
*Unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe.  
+
*Unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe
 +
==Distribution==
 +
Breeds throughout [[Europe]], north [[Africa]], and [[Asia]]. Mainly resident, but migrates from colder regions.  
  
−
On closer inspection male Goldfinches can often be distinguished by a larger red mask that spreads just beyond the eye.<br/>
+
Introduced to [[South America]]. [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]].
−
Birds in central Asia (''caniceps'' group) have a plain grey head behind the red face, lacking the black and white head pattern of European and western Asian birds.
 
−
==Distribution==
 
−
It breeds across [[Europe]], north [[Africa]], and western and central [[Asia]], in open, partially wooded lowlands. It is resident in the milder west of its range, but migrates from colder regions. It will also make local movements, even in the west, to escape bad weather. It has been introduced to many areas of the world (Snow and Perrins 1998).
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
−
The species is divided into two major groups, each comprising several races. The two groups intergrade at their boundary, so the ''caniceps'' group is not recognised as a distinct species despite its readily distinguishable plumage.
+
====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
 +
*''C. c. britannica'': [[British Isles]], [[Channel Islands]] and western [[Netherlands]]
 +
*''C. c. carduelis'': Western and central [[Europe]]; winters to Mediterranean and Black Sea
 +
*''C. c. parva'': [[Azores]], [[Madeira]], [[Canary Islands]] and western Mediterranean region
 +
*''C. c. tschusii'': [[Corsica]], [[Sardinia]] and [[Sicily]]
 +
*''C. c. balcanica'': Southern [[Yugoslavia]] to [[Bulgaria]], [[Greece]] and [[Crete]]
 +
*''C. c. niediecki'': [[Rhodes (Rhodos)|Rhodes]], Karpathos, [[Cyprus]]; [[Egypt]] to [[Asia Minor]], northern [[Iraq]], south-western [[Iran]]
 +
*''C. c. brevirostris'': Crimean Peninsula to [[Caucasus]] and north-eastern [[Turkey]]
 +
*''C. c. loudoni'': Northern [[Iran]] (Talysh Mountains to Elburz Mountains)
 +
*''C. c. paropanisi'': [[Iran]] to northern [[Afghanistan]] and western [[China]] (Xinjiang)
 +
*''C. c. major'': South-western [[Siberia]] (Ural Mountains to Yenisey River)
 +
*''C. c. subulata'': South-central [[Siberia]] to Lake Baikal and north-western [[Mongolia]]
 +
*''C. c. caniceps'': red face, otherwise a plain grey head
 +
:*Western [[Himalayas]] (Kashmir to [[Nepal]] and western [[Tibet]])
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 
Weedy fields, gardens.     
 
Weedy fields, gardens.     
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
Can form large single species winter flocks, or be found flocking with other finches.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
−
The food is small seeds such as thistles (the Latin name is from carduus, thistle) and teasels, but insects are also taken when feeding young. It also regularly visits bird feeders in winter.  
+
The main diet consists of seeds, particularly from thistles and teasels, insects are fed to the young. A regular visitor to garden bird feeders.  
 
====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
−
They nest in the outer twigs of tall leafy trees, laying four to six eggs which hatch in 11-14 days.
+
The nest is placed in the fork of a small tree or bush. It is made from dead grass, rootlets, thistledown, wool and cobwebs. The clutch consists of 5 bluish-white eggs which are covered in grey and brown spots. Incubation lasts about 2 weeks, the young fledging after a further 2 weeks.
−
 
 
−
In the winter they group together to form flocks of up to about 40 birds.
 
  
 +
There may be up to 3 broods in a season which runs from April to September.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
 
<flashmp3>Carduelis carduelis (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
<flashmp3>Carduelis carduelis (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
 
''[[Media:Carduelis carduelis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
''[[Media:Carduelis carduelis (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
−
 
 
==References==
 
==References==
−
Wikipedia
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec09}}#Wikipedia
 +
#Bird Watching
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
−
{{GSearch|Carduelis+carduelis}}
+
{{GSearch|Carduelis_carduelis}}
 
<br />
 
<br />
 
{{Video|European_Goldfinch}}
 
{{Video|European_Goldfinch}}
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Carduelis]][[Category:Bird Songs]][[Category:Videos]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Carduelis]][[Category:Bird Songs]][[Category:Videos]]

Revision as of 21:47, 15 May 2010

Photo by nigelblake
Carduelis carduelis

Identification

L. 12-13 cm
W. 21-25 cm
Weight of 14 to 19 grams

  • Red face
  • Black and white head
  • Warm brown upperparts
  • White underparts with buff flanks and breast patches
  • Black and yellow wings.
  • Ivory bill
  • Forked tail

Sexes similar but male has a larger red mask reaching just beyond the eye.
Juveniles

  • Plain head
  • Greyer back
  • Unmistakable due to the yellow wing stripe

Distribution

Breeds throughout Europe, north Africa, and Asia. Mainly resident, but migrates from colder regions.

Introduced to South America. Australia and New Zealand.

Taxonomy

Subspecies[1]

Habitat

Weedy fields, gardens.

Behaviour

Can form large single species winter flocks, or be found flocking with other finches.

Diet

The main diet consists of seeds, particularly from thistles and teasels, insects are fed to the young. A regular visitor to garden bird feeders.

Breeding

The nest is placed in the fork of a small tree or bush. It is made from dead grass, rootlets, thistledown, wool and cobwebs. The clutch consists of 5 bluish-white eggs which are covered in grey and brown spots. Incubation lasts about 2 weeks, the young fledging after a further 2 weeks.

There may be up to 3 broods in a season which runs from April to September.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Carduelis carduelis (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program

References

  1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
  2. Wikipedia
  3. Bird Watching

Recommended Citation

External Links


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